London Grove Township
City Zoning Code
City Zoning Code
PART 20
ACCESS, PARKING, LOADING AND INTERNAL CIRCULATION
§ 27-2001 Access.
1.
Safe and convenient access and egress from and to the public roads are declared to be essential elements of land use in London Grove Township. Therefore, no building, use or occupancy permit shall be granted as to any lot unless provision shall be made for the safe and efficient vehicular ingress and egress from such lot to and from public streets, without undue congestion or interference with the normal traffic flow in the township.
2.
If any person or entity proposes accesses or egress, having the potential for interference with the safe and efficient flow of traffic, and highway improvements are therefore required by the township or the state Department of Transportation, said person or entity shall be responsible for the design, construction and the costs of any necessary traffic control device(s) and/or highway modifications.
§ 27-2002 Access and Frontage Design Standards.
1.
Unless waived by the zoning hearing board by special exception for cause shown and upon proof that such ingress and egress may be accomplished in safety, no building permit or certificate of use and occupancy shall be issued except in strict conformity to the following rules, regulations and design standards for all accesses proposed onto public streets.
A.
All accessways and proposed streets shall conform to the applicable provisions of the subdivision and land development ordinance [chapter 22].
B.
All vehicular accessways shall be located at least 80 feet from the cartway edge of the nearest intersecting public street.
C.
There shall be at the point of access from any lot a clear sight triangle wherein no wall, fence, object, structure or any other obstruction or hedge, tree, planting or other growth between a height of 2 1/2 and 15 feet above grade, shall be constructed, installed, planted or permitted to exist, which triangle shall extend from a point in the center of the exit driveway a depth of 20 feet to the edge of the street line, and along the street right-of-way line a distance of 75 feet in each direction. Further, there shall be a sight distance at the point of access in each direction along the public street upon which the lot opens in accordance with the eight distance diagram set forth in the appendix of the London Grove Township subdivision and land development ordinance [chapter 22].
D.
Where residential lots are proposed that will have frontage on expressways or major or minor arterial streets as defined in the comprehensive plan or according to the standards set forth in the definitions, the proposed street pattern shall provide reverse frontage on local streets within the subdivision. All residential developments that propose reverse frontage streets shall buffer the reverse frontage lots along the rear yard lot line and limit access to only those streets with the lowest possible functional classification.
E.
Unless clearly impractical due to tract configuration or the presence of controlled topographic areas such as prohibitive steep slopes or wetlands, proposed residential lots that will have frontage along major or minor collector streets as defined in the comprehensive plan and the subdivision and land development ordinance of the township or the standards set forth in the definitions shall have reverse frontage on local streets, with access only onto streets of the lowest possible functional classification.
F.
Lots with less than 100 feet of frontage on a public street shall be limited to one access point onto such street. Lots with more than 100 feet of frontage on a public street shall have no more than one access point for each 200 feet of frontage. Ingress points segregated from egress points and common accesses for two or more adjacent lots, buildings or uses shall be encouraged to minimize the conflicts between turning movements of entering, exiting and through traffic.
G.
Common driveways. In areas adjacent lots, buildings and uses shall be permitted to utilize a common driveway only to the extent that no more than two users share the common driveway. At the discretion of the board of supervisors, the number of users for a commercial common driveway may be increased. All common driveways shall conform to the PennDOT Form 408 specifications for drives serving more than one lot, building or use. Individual lots, buildings or uses shall not be served by common driveways unless:
(1)
Expressly permitted as part of a duly approved subdivision and/or land development plan specifically delineating said shared driveway.
(2)
Common driveways must be used to avoid encroachment into controlled topographic areas such as steep slopes, floodplains and wetlands. When authorized by a special exception, provided that the burden shall be upon the applicant to demonstrate to the satisfaction of the zoning hearing board that no other layout of the premises is reasonable.
Any special exception granted for such common driveways and any conditional use involving multiple uses on the same premises, pursuant to paragraph G above, shall be subject to the condition that a satisfactory easement and maintenance agreement be submitted as part of such application and, upon grant of such application, duly recorded in the office of the recorder of deeds in and for Chester County after review and approval by the township solicitor and township engineer.
§ 27-2003 Internal Access Drive Design Standards and Criteria.
1.
The circulation within the confines of the tract under development shall be such as to permit safe and convenient movement of vehicles along prescribed driveways and parking areas and safe and convenient pedestrian movement. Both pedestrian and vehicular movement shall be within designated lanes so as to provide crosswalks across vehicular lanes for safe pedestrian passage. Within parking areas and driveways, speeds of vehicles shall be controlled to the greatest extent possible, consistent with the requirements of pedestrian movement and general safety.
2.
Except for single-family and two-family dwellings on individual lots, the internal circulation plan shall be deemed an integral part of any application for a building permit or certificate of occupancy where no building permit is required for all such uses. Provided, however, where the application is for multiple lot development, internal circulation shall be deemed an integral part of the application with respect to common and open areas. The following design criteria shall apply to the internal access drives within all lots containing uses other than one- and two-family detached dwellings or agricultural uses:
A.
Internal access drives shall be designed to prevent the obstruction of vehicles entering or leaving the lot. Drives may be one-way or two-way. Areas designed for loading and unloading, refuse collection, fuel delivery and other service vehicles shall be arranged so as to prevent obstruction of the access drives, the use of automobile parking facilities or pedestrian ways. All access drives shall have adequate turnaround areas so egress can occur without reversing direction.
B.
Internal access drives, parking areas and loading areas shall have clearly defined parking bays and travel lane designated by markings, curbs, carriers and/or landscaped islands, so that operators of vehicles intending to utilize such areas shall not impede other traffic as a result of any confusion as to the location of entrances, exits, parking and the travel lanes. The following standards shall be utilized.
(1)
To assist in traffic channeling, three-foot wide raised islands shall be placed at the ends of parking bays so that the end of the bay adjacent to an internal access drive is clearly delineated. In addition, parking bays shall permit no more than 10 adjacent parking stalls per side without interruption by a three-foot wide raised island. Such islands shall be landscaped in such a manner that the visibility of the drivers is not impaired.
(2)
Traffic channeling shall be planned so that the main internal access drive(s) from the public street(s) to the parking areas is remote from the primary building(s) so as to minimize vehicular/pedestrian conflicts at the entrance to the building(s).
(3)
Parking areas shall be designed so that a vehicle within any part of the parking area does not have to enter a public street to move to another part of the parking areas. Within all parking bays, sufficient turnaround area shall be provided so that egress from the parking bay can occur in a forward direction.
(4)
Every other parking bay shall be provided with a raised and landscaped four-foot wide barrier to prevent right angle vehicular movement across parking areas. Parking bays without the landscape barriers shall have concrete stops (bumpers) to prevent right angle vehicular movement across the parking areas.
C.
All internal access drives shall be paved with an approved, all-weather surface, per the requirements of the subdivision and land development ordinance [chapter 22], and shall be designed for proper drainage. The maximum grade of internal drives shall not exceed that permitted within the subdivision and land development ordinance [chapter 22].
D.
Unless clearly impractical, all applications depicting parking areas serving commercial, industrial or institutional traffic shall be interconnected to adjoining properties so as to avoid "in and out" traffic patterns after development. If the adjoining property is undeveloped the provision for future connections shall be provided for along with an easement for use by all parties which allows for use or future use between the parties and free flow of traffic between the parcels without entry onto the highway.
E.
The following shall be the minimum permitted width of the internal access drives, where no adjacent parking is proposed:
Use | Two-Lane | One-Lane |
|---|---|---|
Multifamily | 22 feet | 10 feet |
Commercial/office | 22 feet | 12 feet |
Industrial | 22 feet | 12 feet |
§ 27-2004 Fire Lane Design Standards.
Internal access drives can be utilized for this purpose if they meet all applicable standards of the fire marshal.
§ 27-2005 Pedestrian and Equestrian Circulation.
1.
The following standards shall apply to pedestrian and equestrian circulation patterns for all uses:
A.
Existing foot paths and horse trails shall be preserved as much as possible, consistent with proposed development plans. Where existing trails or paths are proposed to be eliminated, alternative trails or pathways to maintain the continuity of the previously established trail network shall be provided. Such modification shall comply with any recorded easements or deed restrictions relating thereto.
B.
Where there are no existing footpaths or horse trails on a tract proposed for development, a pedestrian and/or equestrian trail network shall be established so that:
(1)
There is a logical continuation or linkage to the network of existing trails or sidewalks off-site.
(2)
Pedestrian access is provided to existing or projected public transportation facilities, or pick-up points, public parks, community facilities and commercial areas.
C.
There shall be convenient, logical and safe walkway connections between the various entrances of the principal buildings and the required parking areas, preferably in conjunction with landscaped islands to provide physical separation from the vehicles and shade and visual relief from glare.
D.
Sidewalks shall be a minimum of four feet wide, except where adjacent parking stalls overhang the sidewalk, then such sidewalks shall be at least six feet wide. All sidewalks shall be ADA compliant.
E.
Where space permits, the maximum possible separation between the pedestrian and vehicular circulation routes shall be provided for the safety and comfort of pedestrians. Separation can be in the form of any one or a combination of the following: elevation changes such as overpasses, underpasses or embankments; landscaping elements such as street trees, bollards or fences.
§ 27-2006 Parking Regulations.
1.
No building or structure shall hereafter be constructed, enlarged or modified and no use or activity shall be conducted or expanded unless provision is made on the same or adjacent lot for off-street parking facilities, either within a structure or in the open, and with proper and safe access from a street, to adequately serve the uses within the district according to the provisions of this section. In an effort to preserve open space amenities, the construction of underground parking or parking in above ground facilities is encouraged. The following regulations shall apply to all uses except single-family and two-family dwellings unless otherwise specified:
A.
Required off-street parking facilities as accessory to uses listed herein shall be solely for the parking of passenger automobiles of patrons, occupants and/or employees.
B.
No motor vehicle repair work of any kind except emergency service shall be permitted on parking lots.
C.
Interior circulation within parking areas shall be in accordance with the provisions of section 27-2003 above.
D.
Parking areas shall be landscaped in accordance with the applicable provisions of the township subdivision and land development ordinance [chapter 22], and applicable portions found elsewhere.
E.
Parking spaces shall be clearly delineated by suitable markings. Special use spaces such as short-term visitor parking, handicapped parking and pick-up/drop-off zones shall be differentiated by suitable markings from long-term employees spaces.
§ 27-2007 Permitted Parking Locations.
1.
In no case shall any portion of a public or private street be utilized in complying with the parking requirements of this section.
2.
All parking spaces shall be on the same lot as the principal buildings except when permitted by the board of supervisors.
3.
The parking spaces required below (A and B) may be located elsewhere than on the same lot when authorized by the board of supervisors, subject to the following conditions:
A.
The owners of two or more establishments shall submit with their application a site plan and agreement showing joint use, agreement, maintenance responsibility and location of a common off-street parking area;
B.
Some portion of common off-street parking area shall lie within 200 feet of an entrance, regularly used by patrons, into the building served hereby.
4.
No parking or paved area, except for permitted access ways, shall directly abut a public street. Each such area shall be separated from the street by a curb, planting strip, wall or other suitable barrier against vehicles. Each such area shall be at least 10 feet from the edge of the paving of any street for which a given right-of-way is not indicated or at least 20 feet from the street line of an arterial, major collector or minor collector road.
5.
For residential dwellings required parking spaces shall be within 100 feet of the dwelling unit they serve.
6.
A garage may be located wholly or partly inside the walls of the principal building, or may be attached to the outer walls. If separate from the principal building, the garage shall conform to all accessory building requirements and shall not be located in the required yard space. The garage may be constructed under a yard or court, when authorized as a special exception, but may not extend within 10 feet of any lot line. The space above the underground garage shall be deemed to be part of the open space on the lot on which it is located to the extent determined by the zoning hearing board when authorized as a special exception.
§ 27-2008 Parking Stall Standards.
1.
In all motor vehicle garages or in outdoor parking areas for establishments with a high volume of turnover, such as supermarkets, the stall size for each vehicle shall be at least 10 feet by 20 feet including an overhang of two feet over the adjacent sidewalk, if present.
2.
The parking stall sizes may be reduced to include nine feet by 18 feet for 20% of the parking lot in excess of 100 spaces.
3.
The required parking area shall be measured exclusive of internal access drives or maneuvering areas.
4.
Angled parking shall be permitted, with the minimum required stall depths, stall widths and aisles as shown in this part.
5.
Parking areas shall have a minimum slope of 1% in any direction to provide for drainage and a maximum slope of 6% in any direction for safety, user convenience and stormwater runoff control.
6.
Handicapped parking. In addition to any applicable standards under the American Disabilities Act, all handicapped parking shall comply with the requirements of the Uniform Construction Code.
§ 27-2009 Parking Stall Requirements.
[Ord. No. 225, 5/10/2023]
1.
In all districts, the residential parking requirements shall be two spaces per dwelling unit including single-family and two-family dwellings, except when townhouses and single-family dwellings in lots less than 18,000 square feet are proposed, in which case an additional two off-street guest spaces for visitors shall be provided for each unit constructed. The parking requirement for apartment buildings and apartment complexes in the Commercial District shall be 2.5 spaces per dwelling unit.
2.
Nonresidential parking requirements shall be as follows:
A.
Employee. One space per employee. In the case of shifts, adequate allowance shall be made for overlapping of arrivals and departures.
B.
In addition to employee parking, additional spaces shall be provided by the application of the appropriate formula for each use as listed in this subsection.
C.
If a related or accessory use, such as a restaurant or auditorium, in connection with a principal use is open to the public, the off-street parking requirement for the related use shall be in addition to that for the principal use.
D.
Where the required parking standards are based on a multiple use, the applicant may reduce the number of parking spaces required to be paved initially by a maximum factor of 30%; provided, that the plan submitted shows that sufficient land is reserved and properly identified as such to meet the full requirements of this chapter at such time as any such additional parking space may be required. Until such time it is developed, the parking reserve area shall be landscaped.
E.
Minimum off-street parking requirements in addition to employee spaces shall be the lesser as follows:
Minimum Parking Requirements | |
|---|---|
Industry, wholesale storage or distribution, laboratory | 1 space/5,000 square feet of floor area or research |
Eating and drinking establishments | 1 space/200 square feet of floor area or 2 seats, whichever is greater |
Convenience store | 1 space/100 square feet of gross floor area |
Driving range and batting cage | 1 space/tee or box |
Golf course | 3 spaces/tee |
Theater, church, meeting place | 1 space/3 seats |
Bowling alley | 3 spaces/1 alley |
Motel, hotel, inn | 1 space/guest room and the applicable requisite of parking for any auxiliary use |
Hospital | 2 spaces/bed |
Laundromat | 1 space/washing machine or 100 square feet |
Elementary school | 1 space/20 students |
All other schools, day care centers | 1 space/10 students |
Retail stores, antique shops and personal service establishments | 1 space/200 square feet of customer sales or service areas |
Funeral home | 1 space/50 square feet devoted to assembly or viewing room purposes |
Institution | 1 space/2 beds |
Medical and dental offices and clinics | 5 spaces/1,000 square feet of office space |
All other offices and office buildings | 1 space/275 square feet of office floor area, which includes required spaces for employees |
All other uses | 1 space/500 square feet of floor area |
NOTES: |
*All occupant loads will additionally be based upon Uniform Construction Code Standards |
§ 27-2010 Loading and Unloading Standards.
1.
In connection with any building or structure which is erected or substantially altered and which requires the receipt or distribution of materials or merchandise by trucks or similar vehicles, there shall be provided a sufficient number of off-street loading and unloading berths for the intended use, in accordance with the following minimum requirements.
A.
Such areas shall not be located between the building setback line and street line, and loading facilities shall be buffered in accordance with part 18.
B.
Space allocated to any off-street loading berth shall not, while so allocated, be used to satisfy the space requirements of any off-street parking facilities or portions thereof. Required off-street parking spaces or access ways shall not be used for loading and unloading purposes except during hours when business operations are suspended.
C.
Off-street loading and unloading areas shall be provided with proper and safe access, preferably separate from other vehicular and pedestrian circulation. In any case, loading and unloading operations, including arrival and departure, shall not interfere with traffic and pedestrian circulation on public streets or within required off-street parking areas.
D.
Loading and unloading spaces shall be at least 12 feet wide, 14 feet vertical clearance, 55 feet deep and shall have an adequate maneuvering apron.
E.
Loading and unloading spaces shall have paved all-weather, dustless surfaces of sufficient load-bearing properties consistent with the intended use.
